Everything you need to know about Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit

Making changes to become more digital is no mean feat, especially in the charity sector. Going digital can feel complicated and daunting, whether you’re migrating your CRM data to the cloud or fundraising online. It’s also true that what works for others in the sector might not work for you. 

 

Every charity has different digital needs. But not every charity can afford bespoke software to suit them. That is ostensibly the purpose behind Microsoft’s new Cloud for Nonprofit product. 

 

Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit brings together all of Microsoft’s software under one umbrella, stored in the cloud, so that the organisation can access their data from wherever they need to.  

 

By bringing all the solutions together that charities may already use – like its Fundraising and Engagement service and Microsoft 365 CRM system – charities can look at their performance holistically, identifying trends they might not otherwise be able to see when looking at each department separately. Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit exists to help charities see the bigger picture. 

 

Given that Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit is a new solution, this article aims to answer any burning questions about it, with help from Microsoft partners m-hance. 

 

 

What is Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit? 

 

As mentioned above, Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit brings together Microsoft’s existing cloud platforms in one place to specifically help charities with the challenges they are most likely to face.  

 

According to Microsoft partner m-hance, which specialises in helping charities implement Microsoft products, Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit can help charities manage their relationships with donors and supporters, design and deliver services, accelerate mission outcomes, and secure donor and beneficiary data securely.  

 

It is essentially designed to support and extend the digital capabilities of those working in the charity sector, giving staff and volunteers the data they need to become more efficient. 

 

Products that can be housed under the Cloud for Nonprofit umbrella include: 

• Microsoft 365
• Power Platform 
• Dynamics 365 
• Azure 
• LinkedIn 

Charities can add and remove different products to their cloud as needed. 

 

 

What does it mean for charities? 

 

 

Flexibility

 

Flexibility has never been more important, especially two years after charities moved their work and services online in response to COVID-19. We are all well aware of the importance of adapting to changing circumstances, and the ability to be agile – changing processes with minimal upheaval – is vital to the longevity of our organisations. 

 

With Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit, flexibility is two-fold. On one hand, the fact the system is modular means that charities can set the pace and only use the systems they need. It makes them more efficient, removing unnecessary information from masking what they need to know while also being more cost-effective. 

 

The second element of flexibility is being able to access this information virtually.  

 

Many charities are now working in a hybrid environment – sharing their time between home and the office – so the capacity to access data securely across different locations allows charity workers to do their work without any unhelpful roadblocks. When time is of the essence (and it almost always is in the charity sector), this flexibility really makes a difference.  

 

 

Training and support 

 

For many charities, part of the difficulty of adopting new tech is not being able to use it once it is implemented. Training in the sector often lags behind the pace of digital transformation.  

 

In fact, this can be the biggest barrier to charities moving their work to the cloud, m-hance points out. But it doesn’t have to be a painful process – it can be done slowly over time and there is plenty of support out there when it comes to products like Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofits. 

 

Microsoft offers free training courses on its Microsoft Learn site. Here, you can learn how to manage fundraising and engagement via the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit, among other skills, while advanced training is also available 24/7 within the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit system itself.  

 

Charities can also work with one of Microsoft’s specialist partners, like m-hance, who support organisations in implementing software, making it easy to use, and ensuring above all that it can deliver their goals.

 

On top of all of that, eligible charities can get 5 free Dynamics Sales Enterprise licences and 10 free Power Apps licences to get them started on the product.  

 

And organisations like m-hance can issue these to charities. 

 

 

The bigger picture 

 

The Charity Digital Skills report 2021 highlighted data analysis as a priority for charities in the coming year, with many looking to improve how they use and apply it to their planning. 

 

Data siloes – where information from different sources like fundraising and marketing are isolated from each other – reduce a charity’s ability to diagnose problem areas.  

 

By connecting the data and making it accessible within one solution like Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit, charities can view their performance holistically. Without it, they’re only getting part of the story.